Multi-needle double chain-stitch quilting machine

ABSTRACT

A multiple needle quilting machine comprising two or more rows of reciprocatable needles, a needle plate with openings for receiving the needles, a plurality of gripper and spreader elements beneath the face plate and with drive means for cooperatively imparting motion to each of the needles, grippers and spreaders whereby a plurality of double stitched seams disposed next to one another, or in crossed position is effected. A straight or wavy pattern can also be obtained with the versatile and efficient quilting machine of the present invention.

9 United States Patent 1 1 1111 3,867,891

Grabher Feb. 25, 1975 [54] MULTI-NEEDLE DOUBLE CHAIN-STITCH 2,812,735 11/1957 Nelson 112/199 ILTING H] E 3,065,717 11 1962 Reimer 112 165 QU MAC N 3,150,622 9/1964 Sigoda 112/197 [75] Inventor: Gerhard Grabber, Lustenau,

Ausma Primary Examiner-Werner 1-1. Schroeder [73] Assignee: Oehler AG, Au, Switzerland Attorney, 8 Firm-Werner Kleema" [22] Filed: Dec. 26, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT PP 318,542 A multiple needle quilting machine comprising two or more rows of reciprocatable needles, a needle plate 52 us. 01 112/166, 112/187 112/199 with Openings for receiving the needles plurality 51 1111. c1. D05b 1/10, D05b 61/00 gripper and Spread elements beneath the face P'ate 58] Field of Search 112/165 166 167 187 and will drive means mperatively imparing l12/197 6 tion to each of the needles, grippers and spreaders whereby a plurality of double stitched seams disposed [56] References Cited next to one another, or in crossed position is effected. A straight or wavy pattern can also be obtained with l 443 084 Z Q PIATENTS 2/166 the versatile and efficient quilting machine of the presoatteta 1,995,078 3/1935 Rubel en mven Ion 2,310,320 2/1943v Rube] 112/166 X 7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 2725 s 30 0 17 14 11-\ i "1 111 i o-k' iw f 1 I I ti 1 ..E\:)/ ml' i PATENTEIJ FEB 2 5 ms sum u 95 g MULTI-NEEDLE DOUBLE CHAIN-STITCH QUILTING MACHINE The invention concerns a multiple needle double chain-stitch stitching machine.

Multiple needle stitching machines are known. These are multiple needle sewing machines for the simultaneous production of a plurality of parallel two-threaded lock stitch seams commonly made on sewing machines, with automatic transportation of the item to be stitched; this consists mostly of an upper fabric, a lower fabric and a filler of cotton, foam or a similar material disposed therebetween. These lock stitch stitching machines are provided with longitudinal shuttles.

Unlike the lock stitch, the equally well known double chain-stitch made up of two threads is non-symmetrical relative to the item to be stitched. The double chainstitch comprises an upper or needle thread which runs along the top side of the item to be stitched, which however penetrates at penetrating points in the form of loops across the item to its underside and back. The second thread designated as loweror gripper thread, runs along the underside of the item, in pilgrim step fashion, from the outer side of an upper thread loop, for a distance of two stitches through the next loop to the loop after the next, on the outside around this loop, for a distance of one stitch back to the second loop and through the latter on the inside thereof, then from the outer side of the latter loop again for a distance of two stitches forwardly, to a fourth loop of the upper thread, whereby said second thread upon passing through the third loop of the upper thread arrests the'loop which it itself previously formed on the outside around this upper thread loop, and so on.

These double chain-stitch seams may be produced with oscillating grippers. Their advantage consists in the significantly increased production speed when compared to lock stitch seams, resulting to a great extent from the small oscillating masses in lieu of the large reciprocating masses of the lock stitch stitching machine.

One disadvantage of the double chain-stitch seams is, however, that their production requires a relatively complicated machine, because in addition to the needle which takes the upper thread through the item to be stitched and forms it into a loop, and to the gripper which during its working movement receives the upper thread loop formed by the needle and at the same time takes the lower thread across said loop, there is required at each work station an additional spreader, which pulls out the lower thread from between the last upper thread loop and the eye of the gripper, in a direction transverse to the direction of motion of the gripper, causing said lower thread to form an angle within which the needle may descend with the next upper thread loop between this lower thread section and the gripper. L

Three periodic motions having their timing coordinated relative to one another are thus required for stitch formation: the ascending and descending motion of the needles perpendicular to the needle plate, the forward and rearward oscillation of each gripper around an axis parallel to the needle plate and the mo tion of the spreader parallel to this axis. Each of these motions requires a drive mechanism of its own actuated by a drive shaft common to all mechanisms.

Apart from the needle motion mechanism the terminal members of which are located above the needle plate, said drive mechanisms must have at least their terminal members, i.e., the carriers of grippers and spreaders, disposed directly underneath the needle plate. However, the space available here is limited, the distances between needles and other stitch forming organs must often be small and said mechanisms in part comprise multiple components; considerable difficulties are thus encountered in trying to accomodate them. This goes to the expense of the accessibility of those parts which must be adjustable and replaceable, and in particular to that of the grippers which the lower thread must be threaded into. Furthermore, the mentioned mechanisms make the machine more expensive.

By reason of these constructional difficulties nobody has been successful so far in creating a double chainstitch stitching machine, in which the item to be stitched may be transported not only in a straight line parallel to the direction of motion of the gripper or the grippers, but also in both directions transverse to said direction of motion, and which machine would allow for the simultaneous production of several double chain-stitch seams which follow a zigzag or wavy course. The fact that the known straight line machines would be basically suitable for transporting the item in transverse direction too, over a limited distance and in one direction only, does not eliminate this shortcoming, because later on the item could be transported neither in the opposite direction, nor farther in the same direction, but only parallel to the direction of motion of the gripper. Thus, when the stitching was required to follow patterns of the kind mentioned, it was necessary until now to work in straight line with one single needle and to turn the item in accordance with the pattern, or to dispense with the double chain-stitch.

It is anobject of the invention to create a multiple needle double chain-stitch stitching machine by means of which it is possible to do the stitching in a direction transverse to the direction of motion of the gripper too, both to the right and to the left.

According to the invention a multiple needle double chain stitch stitching machine is being proceeded from, in which each needle cooperates below the needle plate with a gripper provided with a curved thread supplying finger, which gripper swings forwardly around an axis parallel to the needle plate each time it passes by the needle axis and receives an upper thread loop while the needle ascends, and in which each needle also cooperates with a spreader moved in a direction parallel to the axis of oscillation of the gripper, which spreader deflects, during the descent of the needle toward the thread supplying finger, the lower thread section emerging from the forward end of said finger and held fast on the underside of the item to be stitched by the upper thread loop produced during the previous ascending stroke of the needle, into the direction of the axis of oscillation of the gripper, toward the side of the needle axis remote from the gripper finger, in order that the needle should pass through between this lower thread section and the upper thread loop received by the gripper finger.

For achieving the above stated object the invention provides in a machine of the above mentioned kind, means for the additional deflection of said lower thread section rearwardly, subsequent to its having been de flected by the spreader toward the side of the needle axis remote from the gripper finger.

According to the invention these means may comprise for each gripper one plunger connected with the spreader and extending transversely from the latter, said spreader being disposed on a carrier bracket, which is displaceably guided in a direction approximately tangential to the path of the gripper finger by means of a component part, which in turn is displaceable in a direction parallel to the axis of oscillation of the gripper, whereby the reciprocating motions of said component part and of the spreader carrier bracket being implemented by means of a special drive and linkage for each.

Since the turning of the item to be stitched is no more required for the production of double chainstitch seams following a zig-zig or wavy course, the arrangement displaying multiple needles is meaningful. According to the invention, the machine may display two or more rows of needles, grippers and spreaders with plungers, disposed behind one another, by means of which the simultaneous production of stitched seams displaced relative to one another in the direction of the motion of the gripper, and thus of seams following a zig-zag or wavy course or any other similar course and crossing one another, as well as of many identical stitched seams disposed next to one another, is possible.

The drawing shows an embodiment of the double chain-stitch stitching machine and schematically illustrates its essential operational steps.

FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal section through one working unit of the machine,

FIG. la shows a top view drawn to a magnified scale, of those parts of said work unit disposed directly underneath the needle plate,

FIG. lb shows a partial cross-section through the machine along the line A-A of FIG. I, looking forward.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic view, in perspective, of the components forming the stitches, in their position during the downward stroke of the needle, shortly after it pierces the item to be stitched, said item having been transported before the piercing step, in a direction transverse to the direction of motion of the gripper, toward the side of the needle remote from the gripper,

FIG. 3 shows a schematic top view of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 shows a schematic top view analogous to that shown in FIG. 3, the item to be stitched having been transported to the rear, before the piercing step, in a direction parallel to the direction of motion of the gripper,

FIG. 5 shows a schematic top view analogous to the views shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the item to be stitched having been transported, before the piercing step, in a direction transverse to the direction of motion of the gripper, toward the side of the needle adjacent to the pp FIG. 6 shows, in perspective, a schematic view analogous to the view shown in FIG. 2, of the components forming the stitches, in their position at the beginning of the upward stroke of the needle,

FIG. 7 shows, in perspective, a schematic view analogous to the view shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, of the components forming the stitches at a later phase of the upward stroke of the needle.

The illustrated double chain-stitch stitching machine comprises a needle plate 1 with two rows of needle penetration holes 2 which extend at right angles to the plane of FIG. 1. The needles 3 are disposed on a needle carrying beam 4 movable upward and downward in a manner not shown in the drawing. In the extreme upper dead-end position of said beam 4, the tips of the needles are located above a presser plate 5 for the item to be stitched, disposed parallel to the needle plate 1 and provided with needle penetration holes 6 aligned with said holes 2 provided in the needle plate 1; in the lower dead-end position of the beam 4, the tips and the eyes of the needles 3 are located considerably below the needle plate 1, so that the upper threads 7 (FIGS 2, 6 and 7) supplied through the holes 2 and 6 move downwardly far enough to be seized by the grippers 8.

These grippers 8 are pivotally mounted below the needle plate 1, two at a time, on a pin 9 fixedly mounted in one of a plurality of brackets 10, which pin 9 carries one of the grippers 8 on each of the sides of the bracket 10. Each bracket 10 comprises two such pins 9, the total number of grippers 8 supported by it thus being four. The working portion of each gripper consists of a curved finger l2 somewhat tapered and flattened in front, provided near its forward end with an eye 13 into which the lower thread 11 is supplied by way of a hook 14 provided on the foot of the gripper, a rearwardly eye 15 and a groove 16 provided in the finger.

Each gripper 8 is pivotally connected at its end remote from the finger l2 and located on the other side of the pivot 9, with a tie rod 17 common to the four grippers 8 supported by the respective bracket 10. The four grippers are driven by way of a push rod 18 pivotally connected adjacent to the tie rod 17 with the forwardly of the two pairs of grippers. The push rod 18 is driven by way of an arm 19 fixedly disposed on a rocking shaft 20 which shaft 20 is oscillated back and forth through a limited angle by the main drive shaft 21, by way of not shown eccentrics mounted thereon, the connecting rods schematically indicated by line 22, and the crank arms schematically indicated by line 23.

Each of the gripper carrying brackets 10 is pivotally mounted at its forward end on a corresponding pin 24 fixedly mounted in the machine frame, the axis of the pin 24 being disposed parallel to the axis of the rocking shaft 20. At its rear end, each bracket 10 may be releasably locked to the frame by means of a locking mechanism. This comprises a bolt 25 axially displaceable in the transverse beam 26 of the frame, and pressed by a compression spring 27 against the rear face of the bracket 10, its conical end penetrating into a mating depression provided in the bracket. The rear end of the bolt 25 has a lever 28 mounted on it, which can be made accessible by downwardly swinging open the rear cover 29 of the housing, and which is constructed as a cam in such a way that by turning the lever 28, the bolt 25 is retracted from its engagement with the depression provided in the bracket 10, so that the bracket 10 is allowed to swing around the pin 24 in a downward direction. A hook 30 provided at the rear end of the bracket 10 allows holding the bracket by hand. If the rocking shaft 20 stands still and the arm 19 is in its shown forwardly end position, the four grippers 8 mounted on each bracket 10 while being moved downwardly with the bracket 10 from the rear end position in which they find themselves in said end position of the arm 19, and in which position they are shown in full lines in the drawing, are held back by means of the push rod 18 and the tie rod 17 so that during the downward motion of the bracket 10 they pivot in the same sense as the latter. They arrive into the position 8' shown in the draw ing in dash-and-dot lines, in which their curved fingers 12 are unimpededly accessible underneath the transverse beam 26 of the frame, by way of the opening in the rear of the housing laid open by downwardly swinging the cover 29. It is then possible to introduce each lower thread 11 coming from the not shown lower part of the housing, through hook 14 situated in position 14, the rearwardly eye 15 and the groove 16lof the corresponding gripper 8 and to pull it out through the forwardly eye 13 provided at the tip of the finger 12, said eye 13 being situated in position 13', said lower thread 11 being ready in this situation for cooperating with the corresponding upper thread 7 for stitch formation, as soon as the bracket 10 has been swung again into its working position and locked into place by means of the bolt 25.

With each gripper 8, one spreader 31 provided with a transversely disposed plunger 32, cooperates iunderneath the needle plate 1 for stitch formation, said spreader 31 being displaceable parallel to the ,needle plate 1 not only in a direction transverse to the direction of motion of the gripper finger 12 but alsoin said direction of motion and in a direction opposite thereto.

The motion transverse to the gripper finger 12 is produced by means of two rods 33 (FIGS. 1 and 1a) guided in the yokes 47 of the machine frame carrying the needle plate 1, so as to be longitudinally displace-. able parallel to the axis of the main drive shaft 21, said rods 33 being moved back and forth by said main drive shaft 21, by way of a not shown crank drive and linkage, the timing of said motion being out of phase with respect to the oscillating movement of the rocking shaft 20 actuating the grippers 8. These rods 33 are connected with one another by means of guide pieces 34 disposed transversely thereto at distances from one another corresponding to'the distance between the gripper brackets 10 as best seen in FIG. 1b; on each of said guide pieces 34 there is disposed a spreader carrier bracket consisting of a rod 35 with two cross bars 36 and displaceable at right angles to the rods 33. On each of the cross bars 36 there are provided two adjustably fastened spreaders 31. through a guideway 48 provided on the guide piece 34 at a location between the corresponding cross bar 36 and its rear end cooperating with the gripper A push-rod 37 engages the rear end of each spreader carrier rod 35 by way of a spherical joint, for the purpose of moving the spreaders 31 and plungers 32, the other end of said push-rod 37 being pivotally connected also by way of a spherical joint with a swing arm 38 non-rotatably mounted onto a through-going rocking shaft 39. This rocking shaft 39 too is driven to oscillate by the main drive shaft 21, by way of a not shown drive mechanism, the timing of the oscillating movement being properly set. I I

The item 40 to be stitched, consisting for exampleof two layers of fabric with a layer of foam therebetween is pulled automatically across the needle plate 1. Each needle 3 produces during its descent through the needle penetration holes 6 and 2 a new stitch hole in the item 40 and guides the upper thread 7 coming from above, by means of its eye 41, as a double thread through said stitch hole and then through the needle penetration hole 2 of the needle plate downwardly, one of the threads 49 forming on the 'top, side 50 of the item 40 a new stitch 51 coming from the last previously pro- Each spreader 31 passes duced stitch hole 42 while the other thread 52 comes from above, from the not shown upper thread supply along the needle 3, through the needle penetration hole 6 of the presser plate 5. The needle eye 41 carrying this double upper thread 7, moves a considerable distance below the needle plate 1.

During this motion of the needle 3, the corresponding gripper 8 still surrounded by the upper thread loop 43 which was formed underneath. the needle plate during the previous downand upstroke of the needle departing from the last formed stitch hole, swings rearwardly. In this phase one section 53 of the lower thread 11 extends from the eye 13, provided at the tip of the gripper 8, through the last mentioned upper thread loop 43 coming from the last stitch hole 42, back to the stitch hole 44 before the last.

The location at which this section 53 of the lower thread 11 is disposed relative to the axis along which the needle 3 descends, depends upon the direction into which the item 40 has been transported in the time period between the production of the last stitch hole and the downward movement of the needle under consideration.

If the item 40 has been transported transversely to the direction of the motion of the gripper 8 toward the side of the axis of the needle 3 remote from the gripper, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, then, the finger 12 of the gripper, the lower thread section 53 emerging from the eye 13 of the gripper and running toward the last stitch hole 42, and the upper thread loop 43 coming from said stitch hole and seized by the gripper 8 form a triangle into which the needle 3 enters during its downward stroke. The gripper 8 then withdraws from the upper thread loop 43, while pulling the lower thread section 53 from the front toward the needle 3 and allowing it to form a loop 45 (FIG. 6) around it.

The needle 3 first continues its downward stroke, during which it now also pulls some upper thread 7 from the loop 43 released by the gripper finger 12 over the stitch 51 and makes the loop 43 smaller until the lower thread loop 45 surrounding the needle 3 is arrested on the underside of the item 40 by the loop 43. Subsequently the needle 3 and the gripper 8 reverse their directions of motion: the needle 3 is pulled upward, whereby it leaves underneath the item 40 and the needle plate 1 a new loop 46 analogous to loop 43 and formed of the upper thread 7 pulled downwardly, while the gripper 8 swings forwardly and its finger 12 leads through this loop 46 (FIG. 7) a new section 54 of the lower thread 11 corresponding to section 53 (FIGS. 2 and 3).

Toward the end of its upward stroke the needle 3 is pulled out of the item 40 through the opening 6 of the presser plate 5 and sets the item 40 free. The item 40 is then automatically transported further, the gripper finger 12, the upper thread loop 46 and the lower thread section 54 forming a new triangle, through which the needle 3 will pass during its next downward stroke. However, the lower thread section 53 and 54 respectively cannot be lead forthwith in this manner around the descending needle 3, if between the production of the last stitch hole 42 (FIGS. 2 and 3) and the descent under consideration of the needle 3 the item 40 has not been transported in such a direction that said descent occurs rearwardly of the lower thread section 53, 54 extending from the gripper eye 13 to the last stitch hole 42. For, if the item 40 has been transported in a different direction, then when pulling the gripper finger 12 out of the upper thread loop 43 no lower thread loop 45 is formed around the needle 3 and around the upper thread loop 46 produced by it, and no lower thread will be retained by the upper thread loop 43 when this becomes contracted.

This,-however, is remedied by means of the described spreader 31 and plunger 32 in those cases in which the spreader 31 is capable of stretching out section 53 of the lower thread 11 between the gripper eye 13 and the last stitch hole 42 laterally toward the side of the needle axis remote from the gripper finger I2 and in which the plunger 32 can push the so created point of reversal 55 of the lower thread 11 (FIGS. 3, 4, 5) far enough to the rear, to make said lower thread 11 go around the needle axis. In the case of FIGS. 2, 3, 6 and 7, however, the spreaders 31 and the plungers 32 do not play any particular required role, in these FIGS. they are drawn in merely for the purpose of illustration of their positions.

If the item 40 is transported (FIG. 4) approximately parallel to the direction of motion of the gripper 8 toward the rear during the time period during which the needles 3 have been pulled out of the item 40 and are in a position close to their upper dead end position, then the last produced stitch hole 42 wanders to a point 56 (FIG. 4) which lies in said direction, directly to the rear of the axis along which needle 3 is going to descend. The lower thread 11 extending from the eye 13 of the gripper finger tip toward said stitch hole at point 56 would thus pass by the axis of the needle 3 on the side facing the finger 12, if no further measures were taken.

However, before the needle 3 emerges during its downstroke through the bottom of the needle plate 1, the spreader 31 moves from its dead end position 31 disposed barely above the gripper 8 on the side of the gripper 8 remote from the needle axis, as indicated by arrow portion 57, and its tip passes through forwardly of the axis of the needle 3 but rearwardly of the front eye 13 of the gripper finger 12 toward the opposite side of the needle axis. While doing this it impinges upon section 53 of the lower thread 11 extending from this eye 13 to stitch hole 42 and pushes it too to the opposite side of the needle axis. In this way the result is achieved to have this thread run through from the eye 13, transversely first, forwardly of the axis of the needle 3, and then obliquely toward the rear to the stitch hole 42, it being then deviated at point 55.

The spreader 31 then performs one more rapid motion in rearward direction for the plunger 32 mounted on it, as shown by arrow section 58, which motion is not required in the case illustrated in FIG. 4', the stroke of said motion being so dimensioned that the thread portion running from the eye 13 of the returning gripper toward the spreader 31 lies in front of the needle axis during the descent of the needle. As soon as said descent is accomplished and while the gripper 8 swings back further, the lower thread section 53 forms the loop 45 around the needle 3 and around the new upper thread loop 46 formed by the needle 3 during its upward stroke. The spreader 31 and the plunger 32 mounted on it withdraw toward the front, and then into their end positions 31', 32' on the side of the gripper. For the remainder the stitch formation is accomplished by means of the needle 3 and the gripper 8,-as described before.

If in a pulled-out state of the needles 3 the item 40 is transported toward the same side of the needle axis on which side the gripper 8 passes (FIG. 5), then it is obviously necessary also to have the spreader 3] push the lower thread 11 running from the gripper eye 13 to the last produced stitch hole 42 laterally across the front of the axis of the needle 3 over toward the opposite side of the latter.

Inasmuch as in this case the last stitch hole is located at the point 59 laterally of the needle axis, this motion of the spreader by itself is insufficient for bringing the needle axis between the lower thread 11 and the gripper finger 12; for in this case the rear strand of the lower thread running from the turning point 55 on the spreader 31 toward the stitch hole 59 is also situated in front of the needle axis. It is only the described displacement of the spreader 31 and of the plunger 32 toward the rear, subsequent to the lateral displacement of the spreader 31, which produces the effect that said rear strand of the lower thread comes to lie behind the axis of the descending needle 3 and the latter comes to lie between the lower thread 11 and the gripper finger 12.

Section 53 of the lower thread 11 forms then in this case too a loop 45 around the needle 3 and about the new upper thread loop 46 produced upon its return; the lower thread looop 45 is held fixed by the old upper thread loop 43 which is set free from the finger 12 of the gripper 8 before the end of the downward motion of the needle 3 and becomes contracted thereafter.

For the remainder, stitch formation by the lower thread occurs in a manner analogous to the two cases previously considered, the resulting differences consisting merely in the various directions taken by the stitches relative to the machine. Stitches may be produced in oblique directions without difficulty, provided they are located between the three considered directions, i.e., provided that the last made stitch hole is not located farther in front than the one to be executed. This makes possible the execution of seams according to all patterns which do not require the transportation in the forward direction of the item to be stitched.

I claim:

1. A multiple needle double chain-stitch quilting machine comprising a needle plate having a plurality of transversely aligned openings therethrough, a plurality of needles each adapted to receive an upper thread therethrough and in piercing relationship with a corresponding needle plate opening, a plurality of grippers pivotally mounted below the needle plate, each one of said grippers cooperating with a corresponding needle, each gripper provided with a curved thread supplying finger adapted to receive a lower thread, means for oscillating said grippers about a transverse axis parallel to the needle plate and in close proximity to the axis of the corresponding needle, each of said thread supplying fingers being adapted to engage a loop formed by said upper thread as the corresponding needle ascends, a plurality of spreaders positioned below the needle plate, each cooperating with a corresponding needle and gripper, a first means for moving said spreaders in a direction parallel to the axis of oscillation of said grippers such that, during the descent of the corresponding needle toward the thread supplying finger, the spreader deflects a section of the lower thread extending between the point of emergence of said lower thread from said finger and a point where the lower thread, on the underside of an item to be quilted, is retained by the said loop of the upper thread, which loop was produced during the previous ascending stroke of the needle and engaged by said finger, in the direction of the axis of oscillation of the gripper toward the side of the needle axis remote from said finger, so as to position said lower thread section to permit the descending needle to pass between the lower thread section and the said loop of the upper thread engaged by the finger of said gripper, and cooperating with said first moving means, a second means for moving each spreader transversely of the axis of oscillation of said grippers for deflecting said lower thread section generally toward the ineedle axis, whereby said quilting machine is enabled to stitch in either direction transversely of the direction motion of said gripper as well as in the direction of inotion thereof. 1

2. The quilting machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second means for moving said spreaders includes a plunger affixed to and extending transversely of each spreader on the side thereof remote from the needle axis.

3. The quilting machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said needle plate is provided with at least two parallel rows of transversely aligned openings therethrough, said rows disposed in a spaced relation from each other, and including at least two parallel rows of needles, grippers, oscillating means, spreaders, first and second moving means corresponding to and arranged ill in cooperating relation with said parallel rows of needle plate openings.

4. The quilting machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said grippers are pivotally mounted on a plurality of transversely aligned brackets positioned below the needle plate, at least one gripper cooperating with each bracket, means connected to each bracket for swinging said bracket from its operative position beneath the needle plate to a position more remote from the needle plate for better accessibility of said grippers and a locking means associated with each bracket for releasably securing the bracket in its operative position.

5. The quilting machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one gripper of each of said parallel rows thereof is pivotably mounted on one of said brackets.

6. The quilting machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least two grippers of each of said parallel rows thereof are coaxially and pivotally mounted on one of said brackets.

7. The quilting machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the oscillating means corresponding to the grippers pivotally mounted on one bracket includes a tie rod connecting at least one gripper of one of said parallel rows to at least one gripper of another of said parallel rows and a push rod connected to at least one gripper of one of said parallel rows. 

1. A multiple needle double chain-stitch quilting machine comprising a needle plate having a plurality of transversely aligned openings therethrough, a plurality of needles each adapted to receive an upper thread therethrough and in piercing relationship with a corresponding needle plate opening, a plurality of grippers pivotally mounted below the needle plate, each one of said grippers cooperatiNg with a corresponding needle, each gripper provided with a curved thread supplying finger adapted to receive a lower thread, means for oscillating said grippers about a transverse axis parallel to the needle plate and in close proximity to the axis of the corresponding needle, each of said thread supplying fingers being adapted to engage a loop formed by said upper thread as the corresponding needle ascends, a plurality of spreaders positioned below the needle plate, each cooperating with a corresponding needle and gripper, a first means for moving said spreaders in a direction parallel to the axis of oscillation of said grippers such that, during the descent of the corresponding needle toward the thread supplying finger, the spreader deflects a section of the lower thread extending between the point of emergence of said lower thread from said finger and a point where the lower thread, on the underside of an item to be quilted, is retained by the said loop of the upper thread, which loop was produced during the previous ascending stroke of the needle and engaged by said finger, in the direction of the axis of oscillation of the gripper toward the side of the needle axis remote from said finger, so as to position said lower thread section to permit the descending needle to pass between the lower thread section and the said loop of the upper thread engaged by the finger of said gripper, and cooperating with said first moving means, a second means for moving each spreader transversely of the axis of oscillation of said grippers for deflecting said lower thread section generally toward the needle axis, whereby said quilting machine is enabled to stitch in either direction transversely of the direction motion of said gripper as well as in the direction of motion thereof.
 2. The quilting machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second means for moving said spreaders includes a plunger affixed to and extending transversely of each spreader on the side thereof remote from the needle axis.
 3. The quilting machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said needle plate is provided with at least two parallel rows of transversely aligned openings therethrough, said rows disposed in a spaced relation from each other, and including at least two parallel rows of needles, grippers, oscillating means, spreaders, first and second moving means corresponding to and arranged in cooperating relation with said parallel rows of needle plate openings.
 4. The quilting machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said grippers are pivotally mounted on a plurality of transversely aligned brackets positioned below the needle plate, at least one gripper cooperating with each bracket, means connected to each bracket for swinging said bracket from its operative position beneath the needle plate to a position more remote from the needle plate for better accessibility of said grippers and a locking means associated with each bracket for releasably securing the bracket in its operative position.
 5. The quilting machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one gripper of each of said parallel rows thereof is pivotably mounted on one of said brackets.
 6. The quilting machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least two grippers of each of said parallel rows thereof are coaxially and pivotally mounted on one of said brackets.
 7. The quilting machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the oscillating means corresponding to the grippers pivotally mounted on one bracket includes a tie rod connecting at least one gripper of one of said parallel rows to at least one gripper of another of said parallel rows and a push rod connected to at least one gripper of one of said parallel rows. 